VALORANT Champions 2026 features 16 qualified teams split into four GSL-style groups of four for a double-elimination group stage running September 24 to October 4 in Shanghai, with every series contested as best-of-three. The top two teams per group advance to an eight-team double-elimination playoff bracket from October 7 to 18, where most matches remain best-of-three but the lower bracket final and grand final shift to best-of-five. Total maps played hinge on how many series reach the deciding map in each round, particularly the longer best-of-five encounters and any extended lower-bracket runs. Recent regional Stage 2 results locked in the field, including notable absences such as Fnatic, Sentinels, and DRX, while group seeding was finalized in early September. No schedule or weather factors apply in the indoor arena setting.